Invincible
by obsessedwithstabler
Summary: Once more, Juliet tried to reason with the man standing over them, a gun clutched in his shaking hand. "Please, let my partner go. He needs help." Her gaze flickered briefly to Lassiter's face, then back to the man holding them hostage. "I'll stay here, but if you don't let me get help for him, he's going to die."
1. I'll Just Hold On

A two chapter story (so far) in which a hostage situation occurs, someone is wounded, and bad things happen. Both Shules and Lassiet are indulged in this little mini-fic. Read on and enjoy.

**For Loafer, because of...well...everything.**

Disclaimer: Not mine!

PsychPsychPsychPsych

"Please."

It was a simple enough word, so softly spoken, but in that moment it was a plea. A desperate request whispered in a moment of blind panic by Detective Juliet O'Hara.

Please.

Juliet looked down at the man cradled in her arms. Carlton Lassiter's face was pale as his jacket was held tightly against the wound in his abdomen. He had lost a frightening amount of blood, and how he was even still alive was beyond her. It was a testament to his character and will to stay alive that he was still breathing.

Next to Juliet and Lassiter, a woman in her late thirties was on her knees and keeping the pressure on Lassiter's abdomen. She was scared out of her mind, but keeping her hands busy helped keep her mind off of the gun pointed at them.

Once more, Juliet tried to reason with the man standing over them, a gun clutched in his shaking hand. "Please, let my partner go. He needs help." Her gaze flickered briefly to Lassiter's face, then back to the man holding them hostage. "I'll stay here, but if you don't let me get help for him, he's going to die." And she couldn't let that happen. Not after everything they had been through together.

The man shook his head, and Juliet's breath caught in her throat as he aimed the gun at her head. Instinctively she held Lassiter tighter and shielded his head with her hand.

"Please."

* * *

"O'Hara."

Juliet O'Hara looked up from the mountain of paperwork in front of her. It was Monday morning, and somehow the week was already off to a bad start. Her car had broken down on the way into work, she had spilled her coffee all over herself on the way in, and when she was finally at her desk, she couldn't help but notice that her partner was in an exceptionally foul mood. She wanted to ask him why, but that would not have gone over well and she knew it. So she kept her head down and kept her questions to herself.

Carlton Lassiter gave her a disapproving scowl. "Your boyfriend is here." He said that with such distaste, she couldn't help but be slightly perturbed. Yes, Shawn was her boyfriend, and Lassiter had made it very clear how he felt about that fact. And Shawn's constant name-calling and annoyances did not help the situation. Still…

"No need for introductions, Lassie-frass!" Shawn claimed, sweeping in with his usual fanfare. "I'm here to take my lovely lady to lunch."

Juliet hesitated. "Shawn, that's sweet, but…"

"No buts, my dear." He stopped beside her desk and held out a hand, beaming ridiculously.

Scowling, Lassiter stood up and took a menacing step toward Shawn. "We don't have time for this." He looked past Shawn, at Juliet. "We should get going."

Juliet grabbed onto his proverbial lifeline and grabbed her purse. "You're right, Carlton. We're late."

Shawn pouted. "What exactly are you late for?"

"Actual police work, Spencer." He gave Juliet another look.

Juliet sidestepped Shawn, but not without giving him an apologetic look. "I'll call you later, Shawn." She kissed his cheek and followed her partner.

Shawn watched her go, noting with sadness that she hadn't kissed him in a long time.

Once they were outside, Juliet looked at her partner, who suddenly couldn't seem to meet her eyes. "Are you okay, Carlton?"

"Fine," he answered gruffly.

With a sigh, she looked at her watch. It was almost one. "I need to make a quick stop, and then we can go get some lunch."

He grunted, which she took as consent, and they climbed into his car. Then they drove down the road, a wall of silence between them.

They arrived at Juliet's bank fifteen minutes later. Juliet was surprised when Lassiter got out of the car as well, but she didn't say anything. Things had been somewhat strained between them for the past few weeks, ever since his romance with Marlowe ended and her relationship with Shawn progressed. She hated that they were becoming strangers, but what could she do? Carlton was her best friend, but she loved Shawn and was going to spend the rest of her life with him. Wasn't she?

She frowned at the thought. Where did that come from? Of course she was going to be with Shawn. She loved him, and he loved her, even if he was an immature idiot at times. He was a good man. But so was Lassiter. In fact, Lassiter was a great man.

She stole a brief glance at him as they walked into her bank. Shawn teased her for not going paperless already, but she was a social person and she enjoyed walking into her bank and dealing with those she had come to regard as friends. It was something she looked forward to on a regular basis.

Her flow of thoughts was interrupted as they stepped into the lobby of the bank. They were both trained police officers, and they could tell when something just wasn't right. She looked around, her hand instinctively moving to the gun that rested in her shoulder holster.

By the time they fully grasped the reality of the situation, it was too late. Terrified people sat along the far wall, silently pleading for help.

Beside her, Juliet heard her partner mutter, "Oh, hell." Then there was the familiar rustling of clothing as he retrieved his gun.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," an unnervingly cold voice stated. Juliet hesitated.

A man walked around them until they were face to face. He wasn't wearing a mask, which instantly troubled Juliet. If he wasn't concerned about hiding his identity, he had no plans of leaving anyone alive who could identify him. He had a gun in his hand, along with several others and countless bullets attached to his body. Lassiter dully reflected that he resembled Rambo. No, this was not going to be good.

The man motioned to the guns Juliet and Lassiter held. "Drop them, now."

Juliet glanced at her partner, who nodded ever so slightly. They had both been trained in these types of situations, and right now the lives of the civilians had to take precedent. So they reluctantly laid their guns on the floor.

"Good. Now kick them over here."

They obeyed and nudged the guns across the floor. Once they were within reach, the man leaned down and picked them both up then tucked them away.

Juliet took that moment to speak. "Look, we want to help. What do you want?"

Despite his anger, Lassiter was proud of Juliet. She was trying to keep a clear head and talk their way out of this. That was his partner, always determined to bring resolution without bloodshed. And he adored her for it.

The man let out a cold chuckle. "What I want is for both of you to go over there and shut the hell up."

The three stood there briefly, eyes locked, until he aimed his gun at Juliet's head. "Now."

Unwilling to take a chance with his partner's life, Lassiter laid a hand on her back and gently guided her toward the wall where a dozen or so people were sitting. They all looked terrified as Juliet and Lassiter sat down with them. Once they were sitting, Juliet looked at Lassiter. His jaw was clenched and his cerulean eyes were filled with rage. On instinct, she reached out and grabbed his hand in hers.

His reaction was immediate. He swung his gaze toward her, and his hand reflexively squeezed hers. It was obvious to him that she was afraid, even if she maintained a cool and calm façade. He knew her better than he knew anyone, even himself. And she was terrified.

Reassured by the mutual contact, Juliet began to take stock of the situation. She could hear voices coming from the direction of the shooter, so he wasn't alone. He had accomplices. Turning her head, she looked at the terrified group of hostages. By her count, there was roughly a dozen people, including a young child and one woman who looked like she was about to give birth any minute. Leaning closer to Lassiter, she whispered, "Do you have a plan?"

"I'm working on it."

Holding his gun tightly, Jesse looked over at the large safe, where Roy and Johnny were working to open it. "Come on, guys!"

"Shut up, Jess," Roy hissed. "We're working on it."

"Then work faster!" He was already on edge and shaky. They had been planning this out for months, but what they hadn't planned for was the number of people in the bank. Roy had promised that it would be empty except for the bank tellers. The security guards were tied up behind the counter, relieved of their guns and all kinds of communication. They had searched the customers for phones and any other electronic devices before lining them up along the wall. What they hadn't planned for were the two people who showed up with guns. They had to be some kind of law enforcement, and that was not going to go over well. If they were cops and he shot them, it would be the same as putting the needle in his arms himself. Hopefully they wouldn't do anything stupid, and he could get out of here and make a run for the border.

Finally the safe opened with a loud whoosh, and Jesse grinned at the hostages. "It looks like we might be getting out of here faster than expected."

Lassiter scowled at him, but Juliet kept her firm grip on his hand, steadying him. He was too angry to really enjoy the sensation of Juliet holding onto his hand like a lifeline. They had been partners for seven years, but they rarely touched beyond undercover work or the occasional accidental brush of a hand against skin in passing. Of course they had hugged once or twice in a moment of extreme emotional duress, but that was all. Why? Because he was too damn afraid of getting close to someone again, of letting someone care about him. Spencer was irrelevant. He knew, sooner or later, Juliet would come to her senses or Spencer would break her heart, and it would be over. He would be there to pick up the pieces, even if he could never have Juliet for his own.

Juliet started to breathe a sigh of relief, but what happened in the following moments, she would never know exactly. The pregnant woman a few feet away let out a terrified scream of pain, which caused the small child nearby to cry out as well.

The man with the gun spun toward the sounds, and Lassiter took advantage of his momentary distraction to grab the gun that was holstered at his ankle.

Juliet saw this, and she tried to grab Lassiter's arm. But as her fingers connected with his skin, the gunman spun around again. His eyes narrowed dangerously at the sight of Lassiter's gun.

"Hey!"

Roy had been walking over to Jesse, and when he saw the man's gun, he didn't hesitate. Pulling out his own gun, he aimed it and pulled the trigger.

Lassiter felt pressure long before he felt pain, and it knocked the wind out of him. He slumped back against the wall, his hands instinctively covering the open wound in his abdomen.

"Carlton!" Twisting toward her partner, she reached out and pressed her hands firmly against his. The warm, sticky blood quickly stained her hands, churning her stomach. He had been shot before, but it was a graze and even then she had been terrified. Now she could barely breathe.

"I'm okay," he ground out, but they both knew he was lying.

"Sure." Moving her hands away, she quickly removed her jacket and folded it up, leaving her in a tank top. Then she gently pushed his hands away and held her jacket against his abdomen.

Swearing, Jesse grabbed Roy's arm and dragged him back to the safe. "What the hell did you just do?" he snarled.

Roy shrugged. "He was going for a gun."

"You know the plan! Nobody gets hurt!"

"Plans change." Roy tucked his gun away and walked over to the safe, where Johnny was loading cash into gym bags.

Jesse swore and looked over at the hostages, who all looked terrified, except for the blond. She was bouncing between fury and concern, and when she caught Jesse looking at her, she gave him a scathing look.

Damn it.

* * *

Chief Karen Vick was getting ready for lunch when her phone rang, and she contemplated not answering it. But she knew that she couldn't get away with that, so she reluctantly picked up the phone.

"Vick."

Outside of the chief's office, McNab was handing out coffee when the chief's door flew open. She was holstering her gun.

"Okay, everybody, we have a hostage situation at the Bank of Santa Barbara. Locals are already down there, but the mayor wants us on this one." She had been trying to get ahold of Lassiter and O'Hara, but neither was answering their phones. She would just have to deal with them later.

Buzz set the coffee down and eagerly followed the chief. Today was shaping up to be a good day.

* * *

Juliet felt her phone buzz at her hip, but she didn't pay attention to it. She was too focused on keeping her partner from bleeding out.

The small group of hostages watched the scene with paralyzing fear, but only one, a woman in her mid to late thirties, moved closer to Juliet and Lassiter.

Juliet watched the woman somewhat suspiciously. Normally she was a cop above all else, but at the moment, she was a woman desperate to protect her best friend. Lassiter's eyes were closed, but he was breathing.

The woman gave Juliet a reassuring smile. "I'm a nurse," she whispered. "My name is Tracy."

Reluctantly, Juliet allowed Tracy to come closer to her injured partner. But when Tracy reached out, Juliet grabbed her wrist and held it tightly.

"It's okay," Tracy soothed. "I have to see the wound."

Slowly Juliet released her wrist, watching intently as Tracy moved the jacket aside and probed the wound.

The pain brought Lassiter back to awareness. He growled and shifted his hips. "Get…get off of me."

"Carlton." Juliet moved to his head and rested her hand lightly against his cheek. "Hey…"

He instinctively leaned into her hand, his handsome features contorted in pain.

"The bullet didn't exit his body," Tracy muttered as she studied the wound. "He's losing blood too fast."

"Aw, how sweet," a chilling voice said, and both Juliet and Tracy looked up.

Roy smiled at the women. If he got his way, they would all be dead. No witnesses meant no ID's, and they would get away scot-free. He liked that idea.

Moving slowly, Juliet raised Lassiter's upper body off of the floor. Then she settled him in her arms, all the while silently daring the man in front of her to do something about it. If Carlton hadn't been hurt, she might have been more concerned about the other hostages. But as it was, Carlton was her main focus, and her responsibility. "Look," she started softly. "My name is Juliet O'Hara. This is my partner, Carlton Lassiter. As you can see, he's badly hurt and he needs to get to a hospital."

"Don't worry about that, Ms. O'Hara."

Something in his voice sent a chill through Juliet, and she looked down at Lassiter.

She had to get him out of there.

* * *

By the time Vick got to the bank, neither Lassiter nor O'Hara had answered their phones, and a bad feeling was forming in the pit of her gut. She got out of her car in time to see Guster and Spencer jump out of Guster's car.

Shawn jogged up to Vick. "Chief, is Juliet with you?" His handsome face was tinged with worry.

"No, Mr. Spencer, she's not." Vick looked at the bank.

"I'm not sure where she is."

* * *

Inside of the bank, a phone rang suddenly. The hostages flinched, but Juliet kept her firm hold on her partner. Tracy was now holding pressure against Lassiter's abdomen, and she looked deeply worried, something that did not escape Juliet's notice.

Swearing, Roy looked around until he found the source of the ringing, a phone on the nearby desk of a teller.

Finally Juliet spoke, but she didn't take her eyes from her partner. "That's probably my boss, Chief Karen Vick. The entire Santa Barbara Police Department is outside."

Roy turned red. How the hell did this happen? They were supposed to be in and out, get the money and go. Now there was an entire police department outside?

"They want to know what you want," Juliet said softly.

With a growl, Roy grabbed the phone. "What?"

"This is Karen Vick-"

"I know who you are," Roy snarled. "What do you want?"

"Actually, this is about what you want. What can we get for you?"

"How about a car so we can get the hell out of here?" he sneered.

"We can do that," Vick assured him as she motioned to McNab. "But first we need a sign of good faith."

"Like what?"

"How about you let someone go?"

Jesse and Johnny were standing behind him now, and Roy looked at them. Their eyes were wide. "Are you serious about that car?"

"Yes, I am."

"Fine." Hanging up the phone, Roy pointed to the group of hostages, specifically at the pregnant woman. "You!"

The pregnant woman cowered. "Wh-what?"

"Get up."

Her expression changed to one of sheer terror. "Please, don't hurt me," she begged as she struggled to her feet. Her arms went protectively around her belly.

Roy crossed the floor and roughly grabbed her arm. Then he dragged her to the doors that led outside. Sure enough, there were dozens of cop cars and an ambulance. Muttering under his breath, he shoved her toward the door. "Get out."

Dazed, the woman stumbled outside, into the warm sun. Immediately she was descended upon by several officers.

Vick made her way to the front and gently took the woman's arm. "What is your name?"

"Carrie," the woman sobbed.

"Carrie. Okay, I need to ask you some questions. Do you know how many hostages are inside?"

"Thirteen or fifteen," she managed. "And one was hurt."

"Hurt how?"

"He was shot."

Reaching into the folder she'd tucked under her arm, Vick held up two pictures, one of O'Hara and the other of Lassiter. "Were they in there with you?"

Carrie stared at the pictures and nodded. "He was the one who was shot."

Damn it… Gently squeezing Carrie's shoulder, Vick called for a paramedic. "Thank you, Carrie. You've been a big help."

As Carrie was led away, Shawn jogged up to the chief. "What's going on?"

"Lassiter and O'Hara are inside."

Shawn's stomach dropped to the ground. "Juliet's in there?" The words felt foreign on his tongue, but the moment he realized the severity of the situation, he was rushing toward the bank. McNab had to grab him and hold him to prevent him from running inside.

"Mr. Spencer! You can't just charge in there…"

"Jules is in there, Chief!"

"I know she is, and we have procedures for this kind of thing. We'll get her out."

She only hoped that she sounded more confident than she actually felt.

* * *

"You have to let him go."

Roy stared at Juliet, one eyebrow raised at her bold declaration. "What?"

"You let that woman go." She looked down at Lassiter, who had slipped back into unconsciousness. "My partner is really hurt." She could hear the commotion and sirens outside, but she knew that things could get even worse before help ever arrived. She had to get Lassiter out of the bank and fast.

"Please."

* * *

The hostage negotiator finally showed up at the scene, and Vick quickly apprised him of the situation.

"There are roughly ten to fourteen hostages inside, including two of my own detectives, and one of them is injured. We aren't sure how bad the injury is, though."

The negotiator nodded and took the phone that Vick offered.

"Don't worry, Chief. We're going to get everyone out of there."

* * *

Juliet closed her eyes, waiting for Roy to pull the trigger. But she kept her hand over Lassiter's head and hoped that the gunshot would force Vick and the entire department to flood the building and save Lassiter.

Roy held the gun on her for several moments before finally lowering it. His expression was indefinable as he spun around and stalked away from the group of hostages.

Once he was gone, Juliet let out an unsteady breath.

Tracy looked at Juliet. "I think he's waking up again."

Immediately everything else faded away as Juliet watched Lassiter's face intently. Sure enough, his long eyelashes fluttered and he moved slightly in her arms. "Hey…" She gently smoothed his damp hair away from his forehead.

Lassiter groaned and tried to sit up, but Juliet easily held him in place. "What…?"

"Take it easy," she soothed. "You were shot."

"Oh…" Weakened from blood loss, his normal barriers were all completely gone. He pressed himself closer to Juliet, reveling in the feel of being so close to her.

Tracy firmly pressed her hands against his abdomen. The jacket was already saturated with his blood. "He needs a hospital."

"I know!" Juliet snapped.

"Juliet…"

His use of her first name sent a chill down her spine. "What is it, Carlton?" she murmured, any trace of anger or frustration instantly eradicated.

"Gotta…get the civilians out…"

"Shh. I'm working on it," she assured him. Leave it to Carlton Lassiter to be severely wounded and more concerned about others. It was one of the many qualities that she adored in him.

He forced his eyes open and looked at her through the haze of pain. "You have to…get out…"

"I'm not leaving you, Carlton," she said swiftly. There was no way in hell she was going to leave him alone and wounded.

"O'Hara."

Roy reappeared, gun in hand. The other two men were still out of sight. He pointed the gun at the only child of the group. The child's mother quickly grabbed her and held her tight. "You two, get out."

Stunned but compliant, the mother pulled her child up and quickly rushed out of the bank.

Juliet stared at the gunman. "I can see that you're a reasonable man," she murmured. "You're letting women and children go." She looked down at Lassiter, who had lost consciousness again, and her heart raced. "Please, let me take my partner out of here."

Tracy turned her head and looked at the man. "Sir, I'm a nurse, and this man is in bad shape. He's lost a dangerous amount of blood, there's a lot of damage, and he could be bleeding internally."

Roy just watched them, his expression cold, and Juliet realized that it would take a miracle to get her partner to safety.

* * *

By the time the second and third hostages were released, Vick had several snipers lined up around the bank. Instinct had gotten her to where she was today, and instinct told her that the man on the phone had no intention of releasing Lassiter and O'Hara. In fact, she was certain that the three hostages that had been released would be the only ones he let go. And after talking with the second woman, she knew that Carlton didn't have much time left. As much as she hated it, they needed the sniper to take him out the first chance he got.

A few feet away, Shawn Spencer was pacing anxiously. His girlfriend was in that bank, and for the first time in a long time, he felt completely helpless.

He couldn't be helpless.

Vick was talking to the negotiator when she saw a blur of blue and gray rush past her, and she looked in time to see Shawn run into the bank.

"Spencer!"

* * *

Juliet's ears perked up when the bank doors opened, but she couldn't bring herself to look. In her arms, Lassiter had started shivering and sweating, which she could tell worried Tracy. It worried her, too.

In fact, she didn't look up until a very familiar voice began to speak.

"Hey, man. What's going on?"

Immediately Roy aimed his gun at the man who had strolled into the bank. "Who the fuck are you?"

"Shawn Spencer, psychic for the Santa Barbara Police Department." Shawn held two fingers up to his forehead. "I can tell that you're a decent guy. You've already released three people."

Roy scowled. "I don't believe in psychics." He leveled his gun at Shawn's forehead.

"Hey, that's okay." Shawn motioned to the group of hostages, and his eyes briefly met Juliet's. He could see that Lassiter was in rough shape, and Juliet was terrified. "Look, you don't have to believe that I'm psychic. But believe this. There are at least three snipers around this building just waiting to shoot you. The entire SBPD is outside, too, and you have two of their detectives. The best thing you can do is let everyone go and surrender yourself before things get worse."

"Maybe he's right," Jesse spoke softly from behind Roy.

Roy spun around, his eyes ablaze. "Shut up!" he snarled.

"This has gotten out of control, Roy. We should just take the money and get the hell out of-"

Before he could complete the sentence, Roy pulled the trigger. Jesse's eyes widened as he crumpled to the floor.

Juliet gasped and covered Lassiter's head with her free hand. Tracy leaned over Lassiter as well in an attempt to shield the wounded man.

Roy turned back to Shawn, this time with a look of utter insanity. His gun hand was trembling slightly, but he aimed it at Shawn again.

Shawn held his hands up in a non-threatening manner.

"Now…"

Juliet jumped when another gun went off. _Oh, God, Shawn_…

Shawn closed his eyes, fully expecting for the bullet to hit him. It never did. Instead warm blood sprayed over him. He forced his eyes open and realized that Roy was sprawled out on the ground, a ragged hole in his chest. Shawn looked around and saw a third man standing with a gun in his hand.

"He shot my brother," Johnny whispered.

Sensing that the threat was gone, Shawn rushed over to Juliet and Lassiter. "Are you okay, Jules?" he demanded, his hands moving over her arms.

Juliet shook her head. "Go get help, Shawn. Now!"

Immediately Shawn got up again and rushed out of the bank. Moments later, paramedics and officers swarmed the bank. The uninjured hostages were led outside, but Juliet refused to move from Lassiter's side. It was with a deep reluctance that she even allowed the paramedics to lift him out of her arms and onto a stretcher. He was still unconscious, even after being jostled. Juliet was terrified.

Shawn fought his way through the group and grabbed Juliet. "Hey, hey, hey…" He pulled her against his chest and held her tight. She was okay. Thank God.

When the paramedics were finally ready to move Lassiter, Juliet broke away from Shawn. "I'm going with him."

"You can't-"

Years of being Carlton's partner had taught her a few things, including how to intimidate a person to get what she wanted. She never deployed it, but in that moment she did. "That is my partner, and I _will_ be going with him."

The head medic finally nodded. "Fine, but stay out of the way."

"I will." Juliet glanced at Shawn before trotting after Lassiter's stretcher. She saw the unhappy look on Shawn's face, and she couldn't deny that she understood. But in that moment, all she cared about was going with Carlton and making sure that he would be okay. So she waited for the medics to load Carlton's stretcher into the back of the bus. Then she climbed in as well, quickly finding a seat close to Carlton's head. He was so pale, so still that she suddenly couldn't breathe. Knowing that he would never know, she leaned over and gently touched his cheek. Then she lightly kissed his forehead.

"Everything is going to be okay, Carlton," she whispered, her thumb lightly stroking his damp skin. The engine of the bus roared to life, and they lurched toward the road. Juliet remained by Lassiter's head, her blue-green eyes focused solely on him. He was going to be okay. He had to be. He just had to be. Sniffling, she moved her hand to the base of his neck. "Do you hear me? Everything is going to be okay."

The paramedics moved all around, but Juliet paid them no attention. They were saving Carlton's life. She had to let them work, to trust that they would do everything humanly possible to save her partner and best friend.

But halfway to the hospital, Lassiter stopped breathing.

To Be Continued...

A/N: *ducks and hides* Please review!


	2. Red River Blue

Here is chapter two of Invincible! I thought that there would only be two chapters, but it seems that there will be at least one more. *sigh* The muse will go where it will go. Right, Loafer? Haha. Enjoy, everyone!

Disclaimer: Not mine!

PsychPsychPsychPsych

When the ambulance pulled up to the hospital, Juliet could barely manage to catch her breath. The paramedics had managed to restart Lassiter's heart, but he still wasn't breathing without help. Juliet tried to stay close to him without getting in the way as the paramedics quickly carried him out of the back of the ambulance. As soon as they burst into the emergency room, doctors rushed over to help, and Juliet was ushered away under spirited protest.

"That's my partner! I have to stay with him!" she insisted, but she was helpless to do anything but watch as Lassiter was wheeled beyond double doors that she was not granted access to.

One of the doctors misunderstood her as she pleaded to stay with him. "Ma'am, we're going to do everything we can to help your husband. But you have to let us work."

Husband… That word buzzed in Juliet's head, and she didn't correct the doctor's assumption. It made sense. He was her partner, her best friend. The only title he didn't hold was that of her boyfriend. No, that title belonged to Shawn Spencer. Her head began to spin as a single thought floated through her head.

Did she want Shawn to still be her boyfriend?

* * *

Six hours after Lassiter was brought to the hospital, half of the Santa Barbara Police Department was squeezed in the waiting room closest to the O.R. Juliet was sitting by herself, unwilling and unable to talk to anyone just yet. A nurse had generously provided her with clean scrubs, which she had reluctantly changed into after a brief shower. Her hair had hastily been pulled back into a messy bun, leaving her haunted blue eyes exposed to everyone in the room. Only Shawn Spencer was fool enough to approach her, and she tried not to snap at him as he asked again if there was anything she needed. The only thing she needed was to know that Carlton would be okay, and to be able to see those beautiful blue eyes open again. Her hands trembled as she held them in her lap.

After a while, Shawn finally dared to move closer to Juliet again. He hated hospitals, so he was already unsettled and a little jumpy. But he wanted to stay with Juliet and show his support, even if he really didn't want to be there for Lassie. This was about Juliet. "Jules?"

Juliet briefly looked up at her boyfriend. "What, Shawn?" She didn't even attempt to disguise her irritation—and again, she didn't know _why_ she was so irritated at him. He hadn't done anything wrong. In fact, if he had not raced into the bank so carelessly when he did, they might have still been trapped inside and she could have lost Carlton. That thought sent another chill down her spine.

He sat down beside her and reached out, gently taking her hand. "He's going to be okay," he murmured. He desperately wanted to comfort her, but it was only then that he realized he was terribly inadequate at it.

"You don't know that."

"Of course I do, Jules. Psychic here, remember?" He offered her a small smile.

Before she could retort, the door opened and a dark haired woman wearing a white coat walked into the room. Immediately everyone in the room stood up, but Juliet was the fastest. She weaved through the group, skidding to a stop in front of the woman she presumed was a doctor. "How is he?" she demanded.

The woman gave Juliet a smile that wasn't very comforting. "I'm Dr. Kim Grace. Carlton Lassiter has been in my care since he was admitted."

Juliet was in no mood, nor did she have the strength to be as polite and understanding as she normally was. "Is Carlton going to be okay?" _Please, God, just say he's going to be okay. Please._

"He had a difficult time in surgery. The bullet did a lot of damage, especially to his liver and kidneys, and he lost a substantial amount of blood."

Juliet's stomach dropped. "But… he's going to be okay, isn't he?"

"We've placed him in the Intensive Care Unit, and the next twenty-four hours will be the most critical. And after that, he's going to have a long recovery. But I believe he _will_ recover. He's a very strong man."

Juliet felt Shawn move up behind her, but she didn't care. Carlton was alive. She had to see him.

Dr. Grace seemed to understand Juliet's request without it ever being spoken. "There is a Juliet O'Hara listed in his file as his next of kin and medical proxy. I assume you're Juliet?"

Juliet nodded slowly. She had been Carlton's NOK for a few years, and he had her medical proxy. They both knew that the other would be able to make the hard decisions, but suddenly she found herself praying it wouldn't come to that. Dr. Grace hadn't mentioned neurological trauma, and she hoped it would stay that way. "Yes."

"Good. Normally we wouldn't allow this, but we always try to extend certain privileges to the Santa Barbara PD. So if you'd like, you can come with me and sit with Mr. Lassiter."

"Thank you," Juliet breathed as a small weight lifted off of her shoulders. She could see him. She could sit beside him, hold his hand and talk to him.

Dr. Grace smiled as everyone in the room seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Juliet."

Juliet turned around and looked up at Shawn expectantly. His normally brilliant eyes were clouded with something she couldn't quite identify, but she didn't have time to analyze right now. Not when her partner was so critical and she needed to be with him.

He hesitated, but instead of saying what he really needed to say, he smiled softly. "Say hi to Lassie for us."

"I will." Leaning up, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. Then she turned around and followed Dr. Grace out of the waiting room.

As everyone in the group began to talk quietly to one another, Shawn dropped into a chair and held his head in his hands.

It was only then that he realized that Juliet hadn't kissed him goodbye.

* * *

Dr. Grace led Juliet down the hall and upstairs, to the Intensive Care Unit. "We're going to watch him very closely over the next forty-eight hours," she explained as they approached the I.C.U. "There is a possibility that we may have to remove his spleen, but we're hoping it won't come to that."

Juliet barely heard her, but she nodded as the doctor spoke. "Can I see him? Please?"

"Of course." Dr. Grace ushered Juliet into the I.C.U. as she continued to speak. "Don't be afraid to touch him and talk to him, as long as you take care not to disturb any of the equipment."

The younger woman nodded numbly, her focus trained solely on a single bed a few feet away. Without even really looking, she knew it was Carlton, and she was pulled toward him by some invisible force. His shoulders and some of his chest was exposed, and for a brief moment she was grateful that his wound was covered by a hospital issued blanket. She noted the lack of a respirator, indicating that he was breathing on his own. Thank God for small miracles. His face was pale, starkly contrasting the darkness of his thick hair.

Grace came up behind Juliet. "He's stable right now. He's a very strong man."

"You have no idea," Juliet murmured as she absently slid her hand into Lassiter's. It was warm and strong, just like he was, and fresh tears gathered in her eyes.

"If you have any more concerns or if anything troubles you-"

"I'll get a nurse," Juliet finished, unable to pull her gaze away from Lassiter's face. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Dr. Grace smiled at Juliet before stepping out of the I.C.U.

Once she was alone with her partner, Juliet let out a shaky breath and sat down in the single chair beside her partner's bed. Her hand still held tightly to his, and as she watched his face, she began to speak.

"Hi, Carlton. I'm not sure if you can hear me, but I'm here." Her thumb moved slowly over his warm skin. "Everyone got out safely. You were the only one who was injured, but your doctor thinks you're going to be okay. So do I."

His eyes remained closed, his breathing steady. Juliet sighed and squeezed his hand lightly.

"Carlton, I need you to be okay. Please. I… I don't know what I would do without you. You're my partner, my best friend." Knowing that he was unconscious and would never know, she reached out with her free hand and gently pushed his thick hair back. His forehead was warm and his hair was damp, leaving her to wonder if he was even comfortable.

_At least he's_ alive, she reminded herself sharply. As long as he was still breathing, he was fighting. And at that moment, that was all she could ask of him. Keep fighting.

Her fingers continued to move slowly through his hair, reassuring her and, in turn, she hoped that she was reassuring him as well. He had to know that he wasn't alone, that she was always there for him and always would be.

"You're going to be okay, Carlton. I promise."

* * *

After Juliet was led out of the waiting room by Lassiter's doctor, Shawn slipped out of the waiting room as the others began to talk amongst themselves. Hospitals were stifling, and he hated sitting in them for hours on end, especially when he saw what it did to his Juliet. He headed down the hall and within a few minutes he was safely outside of the hospital. He took a deep breath, relishing the fresh air and open space.

He hated hospitals with a passion. And as he walked, he couldn't help feeling just a little resentful of the whole situation. He didn't want to; he wanted to be completely supportive of Juliet. She was his girlfriend, after all, and he loved her. He wanted to be there for her. But he couldn't get over the thought that maybe, just maybe, she would be better off without him. After all, he had made it perfectly clear today that Lassiter would always come first. Could he honestly continue in their relationship knowing that no matter what, she would put Lassie ahead of him? He sighed.

He had a lot of thinking to do.

* * *

Juliet remained by Lassiter's side for the rest of the day, and when night fell and she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer, she dragged her chair as close to his bed as possible and laid her head on the mattress beside his arm. Then she reached up and splayed her hand protectively over his chest before she closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

* * *

"Juliet?"

Not fully awake, Juliet instinctively reached for a gun that wasn't on her. She swung her bleary gaze toward a nurse who looked contrite. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry to wake you, but you have a visitor. He says it's urgent."

Juliet looked at the clock on the wall. It was a little after nine. Somehow she had managed to sleep for six hours, and she suspected it had something to do with her constant physical contact with her partner. "Okay…" Reluctantly forcing herself to her feet, Juliet leaned over and lightly kissed Lassiter's forehead. "Behave," she whispered to him. Then she walked across the floor and out into the hall. She was fully expecting to see Shawn or even Henry. She wasn't expecting to see Gus standing there, twitching and looking very worried. "Gus? What's wrong?"

"Other than the fact that I'm in a hospital?" he replied mournfully. "I can't find Shawn."

Juliet yawned. "What are you talking about?"

"He was supposed to come over last night. I've been calling and texting, but he's not responding and no one's seen him." He tried to look hopeful. "Has he been here?"

She shook her head. "Carlton can't have any visitors except for me, and let's face it; Shawn wouldn't come by if he could." That came out much more bitter than she'd intended it to, but it was the truth. Shawn could be a drama queen sometimes, and he made his disdain for Lassiter very clear to anyone within hearing distance.

"You're wrong, Juliet." Gus sighed. "I'll keep looking for him."

"Thanks." An alarm went off somewhere, and Juliet took a step back toward the door. "I should get back in there."

"Yeah. I should get out of here." Gus gave her his best reassuring look, but Juliet already had her back on him and was heading back to Lassiter's side. He sighed and began walking as quickly as humanly possible out of the hospital.

Once she was back at Lassiter's side, Juliet felt a single tear roll down her cheek. Where was Shawn? Was this one of his desperate cries for attention, or was something genuinely wrong? And why couldn't she tell the difference?

* * *

After taking off from the hospital late in the afternoon the previous day, Shawn had just gotten onto his motorcycle and driven. He had no idea where he was going or why; he just knew knew he needed some distance to make one of the most enormous decisions of his life. So he rode his bike until the sun disappeared and he didn't know where he was.

* * *

That night, Juliet was too on edge to even try to sleep. So she made herself as comfortable as possible in her chair, draped a blanket over herself, and picked up one of the books that the nurses so thoughtfully provided. She ran her hand over the cover, smiling softly to herself before she opened it and looked at Carlton's face. She didn't know if he could even hear her, but if he could, she wanted him to know that he wasn't alone. So she scanned the page until she found what she was looking for. Then she began to read out loud.

"Call me Ishmael. Some years ago-never mind how long ago precisely…"

* * *

Gus searched for hours, but his best friend was nowhere to be found. He had a bad feeling about all of this. Shawn was his best friend, always had been. But he also understood Juliet's relationship with Lassiter (as well as he could understand) and he wondered if Shawn was jealous of it. Gus knew he had no reason to be; Juliet was not the kind of woman who would cheat and Lassiter was too much of a cop to allow anything to happen between Juliet and him, even if he did want it to. Shawn had no need to be concerned about that.

At least, that was what Gus thought.

* * *

Sometime after midnight, one of the nurses stepped into the I.C.U. to check on her patient, Carlton Lassiter. As she approached the bed, she was treated to a touching sight.

The young woman who had become known as somewhat of a fixture in the I.C.U. was slumped over in her chair. Her head was resting on Carlton's arm, and her own arm was draped over his waist, just below his injury, in a protective and almost possessive gesture.

Sheila was deeply reluctant to disturb the young woman, but it was late and a night of rest in her own bed might do her more good. She gently touched Juliet's arm.

Immediately Juliet raised her head, her grip instinctively tightening on Carlton. "What?" Her gaze was bleary and unfocused.

"It's after midnight, Juliet," Sheila murmured. "Why don't you go home and get some rest?"

Juliet hesitated. "No… I'm okay here." With him.

"But you won't be any good to anyone if you collapsed," Sheila gently pointed out.

The nurse had a point. She needed to be fully rested and aware for when Carlton woke up. Looking like hell would only worry him. That was the last thing he needed right now, to be worried about her instead of himself. So she reluctantly nodded. "Okay. Yeah, you're right."

"Would you like me to call a cab for you?"

Juliet shook her head as she stood up. "I'll call someone." Her fingertips lightly brushed against Carlton's stubbled cheek. He very rarely had a five o'clock shadow, and she briefly thought that she rather enjoyed the feel of it. But she quickly shelved those thoughts and kissed his forehead. "Don't wake up until I come back," she whispered to him. "I want to see those beautiful eyes."

He didn't respond, just as she thought he wouldn't. Sighing quietly, she withdrew from the bed and looked at the nurse. "Call me if his condition changes at all."

"We will. Try to get some rest."

She almost laughed. Try. "I will. Thank you." Casting another look at her partner, she reluctantly left the I.C.U. and went outside to call for a cab. She was more tired than she thought, because she nearly fell asleep on the cab ride home. But once she was actually home, she hurried inside and managed to make it to her bed before she finally collapsed.

* * *

Juliet slept straight through the remainder of the night and well into the afternoon, which was an exceptionally rare occurrence for her. She only awoke when her phone began to ring obnoxiously. Growling, she fumbled for the phone and held it up to her ear.

"O'Hara."

"Jules…"

Juliet blinked and sat up in her bed. "Shawn? Hi…"

"Hi."

She could hear him pacing around on the other end of the line. She rubbed at her eyes tiredly. "Gus hasn't been able to find you."

"No, no, I made sure he wouldn't be able to." Shawn looked around at the semi-decent motel room.

"Why?"

"I don't want to be found. Not right now."

Juliet sighed; of course he didn't. But she indulged him. "Why don't you want to be found, Shawn?"

"Because I don't want to until I talk to you." He resumed pacing.

"Talk to me about what?"

"Everything. Us."

She heard a beep in her ear, signaling a call waiting. "Hang on, Shawn." She hit a button. "O'Hara."

"Juliet? This is Sheila, Carlton's nurse."

Immediately Juliet's heart sank. "What is it? Is he okay?" She swung her legs over the side of the bed and began searching for clean clothes to change into.

"He started to wake up about fifteen minutes ago, but he was combative, so we were forced to sedate him again."

Immediately Juliet was infuriated. "I'll be down there in fifteen minutes," she said sharply. Then she ended the call and realized that Shawn was still on hold. She took a moment before speaking to him. "Shawn?"

"Jules? Is everything okay?"

"I'm not sure. I have to get back to the hospital. Something happened with Lassiter." She grabbed her keys and purse before hurrying out of her home.

"I still think we need to talk…"

"Later, Shawn. We'll talk later." She ended the call and shoved the phone into her pocket. She couldn't deal with this right now.

She had to get to Carlton.

* * *

After Juliet hung up on him, Shawn stared at the phone in his hand for a long time. She couldn't make time to talk to him, even though he really needed her. Once more, she was putting Lassiter before their relationship.

He had his answer.

* * *

By the time Juliet made it back to the hospital, the nurses and Carlton's doctor were all waiting for her. She tried to maintain an air of calm as she approached them. "How is he?"

Dr. Grace spoke first. "He began to regain consciousness shortly before we called you. He was combative and a possible danger to the nursing staff, so we were forced to sedate him."

"And you didn't have time to call me before you sedated him?" Juliet snapped.

"I'm sorry. We didn't."

"When will the sedative wear off?"

"We gave him a very mild dose, so it should wear off in a few hours."

Full of restless energy, Juliet nodded curtly and walked past the medical staff. All she wanted was to be by Carlton's side.

As soon as she was able to see him, she picked up her pace. "Carlton…" Finally she was close enough to touch him, and she rested her palm on his forehead. "I'm sorry I left you," she whispered as she studied his face. He had more color than he did before she left, which reassured her somewhat. But she wouldn't be completely okay until he opened his eyes and looked at her. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

Satisfied with her promise, Juliet sat down by his bed and slid her hand into his.

"You're stuck with me, partner."

* * *

It was nearly five more hours before Lassiter finally began to stir. Juliet was reading out loud to him from Moby Dick when she noticed his head move slightly. For a moment, she thought that she was losing her mind. Then his eyelashes fluttered, and she quickly closed the book. "Carlton?" Getting to her feet, she leaned over him and watched his face carefully.

His hand came up slowly, flooding her heart with relief.

"Carlton, can you hear me?" She gently took his hand and squeezed it.

His eyes suddenly flew open, and he began to struggle as alarms went off. Seconds later, the room was filled with nurses. One in particular produced a syringe and reached for Carlton's IV tubing. Juliet gave her a dangerous look.

"Don't."

"He's a danger…"

"I can handle him!"

Slowly the nurse backed away. "Fine, but if you can't calm him down, we'll have to sedate him again."

"I know what I'm doing." Breathing a soft breath, Juliet returned her focus to her struggling partner. "Carlton, you need to calm down." She pressed herself against him and gently restrained his arms, holding him securely to the bed to keep him from reopening the wound in his gut. There was no strength behind his struggling, and Juliet continued to whisper into his ear soothingly. "Everything is okay now, Carlton. I'm here. I'm not leaving you again. I promise."

Slowly his struggling ceased as Juliet continued to hold him close to her and whisper soft reassurances into his ear. Eventually he relaxed completely in her arms.

Once he stopped fighting, Juliet pulled her head back just enough so that she could see his face, and her breath caught in her throat.

He was awake!

Suddenly overwhelmed, Juliet smiled tearfully at him. There were those beautiful eyes, no longer hiding from the world. "Hi," she whispered, freeing a hand to gently caress his cheek.

His eyes scanned the room before slowly settling on her, and a small smile touched his face as their eyes met for the first time since he was shot.

"Juliet…"

Warm tears slid down her cheeks at the sound of his voice. "It's me," she choked out. Without thinking, she lowered her head and buried her face in his shoulder as she clung to him.

He was going to be okay.

* * *

"Juliet…"

The first time he woke up, Lassiter remembered being alone and panicking. Not because he was alone, but because Juliet wasn't there. He knew her. If she wasn't there, then something was wrong. And he became frantic as he tried to remember what happened at the bank after he was shot. It wasn't long after that a nurse rushed into the room. Before he could ask what had happened, she shoved a needle into his I.V. and knocked him out again.

When he came to again, he was in Juliet's arms and she was whispering soft reassurances to him. He could hear it in her voice; she was terrified. But why? As far as he could see, she was physically okay. Had something happened while he was unconscious? Did Spencer do something stupid to hurt her? He would kill him for that…

As he and Juliet locked eyes for the first time in what felt like an eternity, he murmured her name. Fresh tears appeared in her eyes, making him want to reach up and brush them away. But he didn't have the strength, so he had to settle for saying her name and hoping that it would be enough to reassure her. Apparently it was, because she leaned over and buried her face in his shoulder, and he _never _wanted her to leave that position.

Even though he had just regained consciousness, he could feel himself fading again. Willing his body to cooperate, he wrapped his arm around Juliet's slender waist. Then he pulled her even closer until she finally stretched out beside him and laid her head in the crook of his neck. Comforted by her presence and fading fast, he held her close and let his eyes close again.

When he woke up again, he would find out why she was so upset. Until then, he would enjoy this rare and amazing chance to hold her so close to himself.

Was this heaven? As the last of his consciousness slid from his grasp, he felt Juliet snuggle closer to him and drape her arm over his chest.

Yes, it was heaven.

* * *

After the brief call with Juliet that had been interrupted, Shawn gathered his things, checked out of the motel, and got onto his bike. He was about three hours from Santa Barbara, and he decided that he would send a text to Gus and his dad, letting them know that he was okay. But most importantly, he was going to go to Juliet and tell her exactly what was on his mind, the worries that had been eating at him ever since he rushed into the bank and saw Juliet holding Lassiter so protectively in her arms. He only hoped that he would get there before he talked himself out of doing what he believed was the right thing for everyone, and not just for himself. So he started his bike and pulled out of the parking lot, aiming himself in the direction of Santa Barbara.

It took closer to four hours to get back home due to traffic, but finally Shawn pulled into the hospital's parking lot and shut off his bike's ignition. Before he could lose his nerve, he hurried inside and up to the Intensive Care Unit, where he knew that he would find Juliet sitting with Lassiter. And he was right. After charming one of the nurses to be allowed in, Shawn quietly approached Lassiter's bed. What he wasn't expecting to see was Juliet lying in the bed with Lassiter. Her head was buried in his neck and her arm was draped over his chest.

"Jules…"

Hearing her name, Juliet sat up. The hurt look on Shawn's face tore at her heart, but she didn't apologize. She wasn't doing anything wrong. Slowly she eased off of the bed so that she didn't disturb her sleeping partner. "You're back."

Shawn nodded. "I am."

Juliet walked over to the window, leaving Shawn to follow. But she kept Carlton in her line of sight.

Shawn trailed after her, unusually subdued. "Juliet, we have to talk."

It did not escape her notice, the way he used her full first name instead of her favored nickname. She leaned against the wall and watched him carefully, silently waiting.

"I don't think this…us…is working."

That took her by surprise. "You're breaking up with me?"

Shawn toed at the floor with his sneaker. "I love you, Jules, more than I've ever loved anyone. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you." That was the truth. Juliet was the first woman he had ever wanted to put before himself, and he doubted that he would ever stop loving her entirely.

"What changed your mind?" she asked softly.

"I know you love your job, and I know that Lassie is your partner, and that's important. But I'm tired of coming in second. I'm tired of our relationship taking the backseat to the relationship you two have."

"Shawn…"

"Let me finish, Jules," he whispered around the lump in his throat. "I love you. And I know you love me. But you love him too, and I'm tired of fighting. It occurred to me to make you choose, but then I realized that it would only make you resent me. And I never wanted that." He stepped closer to her and rested his hand against her cheek in a gesture of comfort and familiarity. "Seeing you two in the bank only reinforced that for me. You two are closer to each other, and he knows you better than I do, even if I wish it wasn't true."

Tears gathered in Juliet's blue-green eyes. "I never meant to hurt you, Shawn. Please believe that."

"I do," he assured her, smiling sadly. "And, hey, this doesn't mean that I'm going to walk out of your life, Jules. We were friends long before we started dating, and I hope that one day we'll be friends again. But right now…"

Juliet nodded in understanding. "I know. Me, too."

He sniffled and leaned in, gently kissing her forehead. "If Lassiter ever hurts you, I'll borrow your gun."

She had to smile at that. "Don't worry, Shawn. I don't think Carlton and I will ever…"

"If you don't, he's a stupid man." Sighing softly, Shawn let his hand fall away from her face. "I have to get out of here. I'll see you around, right?"

Juliet nodded. "Of course, Shawn."

With a sad smile, Shawn backed away from Juliet and left the Intensive Care Unit. He managed to make it outside before the tears began cascading down his cheeks and he fell apart entirely.

Once Shawn was gone, Juliet slowly made her way back to Carlton's bed and watched him sleep. She could see that he was unsettled, because his brow was furrowed and his jaw was tight. Concern for him washed over her, and without thinking about it, she ran her fingertip along the side of his face.

"It's okay, Carlton," she soothed. Fascination took over as he slowly relaxed again. He looked so much younger when he was sleeping, most likely due to the fact that he was almost always frowning whenever he was awake. In fact, maybe it was just a coincidence, but he seemed to smile the most whenever it was just the two of them together. She had never really thought about it before, but now it was all she could think about. Was Shawn right?

Steadying her breathing, Juliet sat on the edge of her partner's bed and gently placed her hand on his chest. And while she sat there, she allowed herself to grieve for all that she had lost.

But deep in her heart, a seed of hope planted itself and began to take hold.

To Be Continued...

A/N: Sorry to disappoint my Shulsians, but I like Lassiet, too. And I tried to make Shawn grownup and not too immature. :) Hope everyone enjoyed this! Thanks for reading, and please review!


	3. Here I Am

I had no idea this story would go on this long, but this isn't the final chapter. I would say there is only one chapter left, but every time I do, another chapter pops up. Haha. There is also a theme with the chapter titles that I would love to see if someone can guess. :) Read on and enjoy the new chapter!

Disclaimer: Not mine!

PsychPsychPsychPsych

Over the course of the following three days, Juliet's routine stayed consistent. After Lassiter woke up for the first time alone, she refused to leave the hospital. She spent the majority of her time beside Lassiter's bed, taking short breaks periodically and only venturing as far as the hospital cafeteria to get coffee or a sandwich which she barely touched. At night, she pulled out Moby Dick and read aloud from it until her eyes were simply too heavy to keep open any longer.

Lassiter awoke periodically, but the moments of consciousness were very brief before he slid back into sleep. Dr. Grace assured Juliet that it was perfectly normal; he had suffered monumental blood loss as well as the havoc the bullet had wrought with his body. He had improved faster than she expected him to, and she believed that he would be well enough to transfer to a private room by the end of the week.

On the fourth day, Juliet was reading out loud from the book when she realized that Carlton's beautiful eyes were open. She smiled and continued, half-expecting him to return to sleep after a few moments. He didn't, and when she finished the chapter, she closed the book and set it aside. Then she reached out and slid her hand into his. "Hey, partner…"

Lassiter shifted his hips uncomfortably, his gaze skittering around the room. The feel of Juliet's hand in his was new and strange. "Hey…"

"How are you feeling?" She leaned closer to him, her eyes searching his face.

"Hurts…"

"I'll get a nurse." With her free hand, she hit a call button that would summon the nurse who was on duty. Then she smiled at her partner. He was awake and more lucid than he had been since coming out of surgery. It was amazing to see his stunning cerulean eyes clear and focused on her.

Sheila flounced into the room a moment later. Upon seeing Lassiter awake, she beamed. "Well, hello there, Carlton." She came closer to the bed, with Lassiter watching her uneasily. "Juliet wasn't lying. You have remarkable eyes."

"Yes, he does," Juliet agreed with a genuine smile.

Lassiter grunted softly, reluctantly withdrawing his hand from Juliet's and immediately missing the warmth and connection it provided. "Who are you?"

"My name is Sheila. I've been your primary nurse since you were brought of surgery and placed in the Intensive Care Unit."

"Intensive…?" He scowled. "I'm fine."

Juliet raised one light blond eyebrow. "Carlton, you were shot in the abdomen. This is the longest you've been conscious in a week, and you think you're _fine_?"

"I know I am." To illustrate that point, he struggled to sit up. A white hot pain flared in his abdomen, but he gritted his teeth and ignored it.

"Oh, no…" Juliet quickly stood up and gently grasped his forearms. "Carlton, stop it."

He tried to shake her off but only succeeded in making the pain worse. And at her touch, there was a new pain radiating through his body, one that almost eclipsed the physical pain he was in. "Damn it, let go of me!"

"Absolutely not. Not until I know you're not going to jump out of this bed and make a run for it." It dimly occurred to her how close they were, how she could feel his warm breath on her skin and the way goosebumps rose on his arms. Why was she so damn worried all of a sudden? She_ had_ spent the night in the bed with him, snuggled into his chest and just holding him as though her life depended on it.

"O'Hara, I swear…" But he was already losing what precious little strength he had, and they both knew it.

Juliet tried not to smile, and Sheila took advantage of her patient's momentary distraction to inject a syringe into his I.V. line. "You swear what, Carlton?"

He growled again and briefly struggled against her grasp. But damn it, she was warm and soft, and apparently only too happy to be restraining him. She was probably being a dutiful partner and friend by doing all of this, but couldn't he dream?

No. Dreams were amazing and wonderful, but eventually he would have to wake up and face reality. So no, he couldn't dream even for a moment that she was his. He couldn't allow himself to entertain that sweet notion.

A fuzziness began to take over his mind, and he glared at the nurse. Then he looked at Juliet again. "What…?"

"Shh," Juliet soothed, slowly relaxing her grasp on his arms.

The pain ebbed, and reluctantly he lay back against his pillows as the room began to spin. Damn nurse drugged him… His vision blurred, but he held fast to Juliet.

Sheila smiled as Carlton slowly settled down. "I'll be back to check on him in a while," she murmured to Juliet.

Juliet nodded, never taking her eyes away from Carlton. "Thank you."

Chuckling, Sheila excused herself and stepped away from the bed.

Once she was gone, Lassiter let out a slow breath and blinked slowly. "Wow."

She had to laugh. "Good drugs?"

"Mm. I don't like this," he said plaintively. "My head's…fuzzy." But he had to admit, the pain was almost gone, and he liked _that_.

"I'm sure it is. But it's better than the alternative." She hated seeing him in any kind of pain.

"Yeah…" He suddenly tensed again. "The bank…"

"Shh." She let go of him long enough to perch herself on the bed beside his waist. Then she closed her fingers lightly around his wrist, providing both of them with a quiet reassurance. "You were the only one who was injured. All of the hostages got out safely."

"The shooters?"

"Two are dead. The one who shot you and one other. Turns out two were brothers, and the one brother took out the bastard who shot you." Her thumb began moving slowly along the inside of Carlton's wrist, just over his pulse.

He grunted. "Good." His eyes were growing heavier and heavier, and whether or not he wanted to admit it, Juliet's close proximity was more comforting than it was unnerving. Maybe he would never have her, but he was glad to be reminded once more that she would never abandon him in a rough spot. As far as he knew, she had been right there with him, for however long he had been in this bed, and it suddenly hit him, just how important she was to him and how big of a role she played in his life. She was his partner, his best friend (his only friend, really), everything. She was such a large part of him, his other half really, if there could be such a thing.

His eyes had slid such and he was so quiet that Juliet assumed he had fallen asleep again. Smiling softly, she gently released his wrist. Then, on pure impulse, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his forehead in a sweet kiss. "Sleep well, Carlton." She slid off of the bed and went back to her chair, only briefly considering going home before she quickly squashed that idea. She wanted to be close to him, even if she wasn't so sure he wanted the same. She grabbed the copy of Moby Dick, then settled back in the uncomfortable chair and began flipping through the pages.

Very much awake, Lassiter's mind was racing after Juliet kissed his forehead. Why had she done that? How many times had she done it? Had she been doing it ever since he was admitted into the hospital? Would she stop now that he was getting better? That last thought unsettled him, and he had no idea why.

* * *

The next time Lassiter awoke, he was still in the I.C.U. and Juliet was nowhere to be seen. He tried not to panic at the loss of her presence. He had to have been there for a few days, at the least. Did he really expect her to spend every moment by his side? She had probably gone home for a shower and a nap, or down to the cafeteria for coffee and something to eat. He forced himself to settle down.

"Oh, you're awake!" Sheila smiled warmly at her patient.

Lassiter shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah…" His eyes scanned the room, just in case he had missed Juliet. But he knew that he hadn't. Even without seeing her, he could feel her presence. For such a small woman, she was such a big presence. Half the time, he forgot how small she really was, just because she had such a large personality. And again, he felt something deep inside of him stir, something that he refused to let himself feel.

Seeing his roaming eyes, Sheila reassured him, "Juliet just stepped out for something to eat. She'll be back soon."

He looked at her, surprised. Was he that easy to read?

Before he could voice his curiosity, the subject of his thoughts stepped into his line of sight.

Juliet had a cup of a coffee in her hand, and when she saw her partner's eyes, she lit up. "You're awake."

"Yeah." Without thinking, he sat up a little straighter. As Juliet came closer, he could see the dark circles under her eyes and the worry lines around her mouth. She looked exhausted, and at the same time he was certain that she had never looked more beautiful.

Sheila smiled at the two and slipped out, leaving them alone again.

Juliet didn't notice Sheila go. She was too focused on her partner. Smiling widely, she sat down in the chair that had become hers. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." He watched her intently, wondering what she was thinking. "How long have you been here?"

She leaned back in her chair, looking thoughtful. "You were brought in almost a week ago…"

"And you've been here that long?" He looked stunned.

"Almost. I've left a couple of times to get a shower or something to eat."

"O'Hara, you didn't need to stay…"

"I know I didn't _need_ to. I _wanted_ to."

She wanted to… "Why?" he blurted out.

Juliet's eyes widened. "What do you mean why, Lassiter? You're my partner and my best friend, and you were _shot_. Did you really think I wouldn't be here with you?"

He couldn't help but detect the slight undertone of hurt in her voice, and he cursed himself for putting it there. "I didn't mean it like that…"

"Then how did you mean it, Carlton?" she snapped.

"I just… we're partners-"

"Exactly. We're _partners_. That means we stick together, no matter what. If you're somewhere, I'm with you. If you're hurt and in a hospital, you bet your ass I'm not leaving your side." Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke, and suddenly she couldn't stop herself. All of her emotions came pouring out, her inhibitions lowered by her exhaustion. "I am not leaving you until you are able to walk out of this hospital, and even then I'm still going to be right there with you."

He watched her, floored by her passionate words. He knew that she cared about him like she would her brothers or her family. He didn't even doubt that she loved him to some degree. But he never expected her to drop her entire life to stay by his side for almost a full week. If the situations had been reversed, and she was the one lying in this bed, he would have drawn his gun on somebody before he even considered leaving her side. Apparently she felt the same way about him, and that blew him away.

Juliet trembled as she leaned forward until there were only a couple of inches of space between them. "Don't you get it, Carlton? You're so damn important to me. I would do anything for you. And right now, anything means sitting right here beside you until you can leave this damn hospital."

Overwhelmed, he did the only thing he could do at that moment. He closed the distance between the two of them and kissed her. Her lips were warm and pliant, so sweet and soft. He should have been more cautious, more himself, but damnit, he had wanted to do this for _years_. And if she panicked or hit him, he could blame it on the narcotics currently coursing through his abused system. Either way, he had a way out. Not that he wanted it.

On the other end of the kiss, Juliet had closed her eyes and gotten rid of most of her shock and resistance. Why on earth would she want to resist this? Shawn had broken up with her, and even if he hadn't, she probably would have ended things with him after this kiss. Because the kiss… Carlton's lips on hers, his large hands slowly making their way up her back and into her hair… Oh, God, she was never going to be able to stop this. She was effectively ruined for anyone else.

Eventually they broke apart for lack of oxygen, and as they caught their breaths, Lassiter gave her an apologetic look.

"Juliet…"

Swiftly she silenced him with a well-placed finger against his bruised lips. "Don't."

Immediately his mind went into panic-mode. Don't apologize? Don't do it again? Don't ever come near me, I'm getting a new partner as fast as I can get out of here?

Slowly she moved her finger across his lower lip. "Don't apologize for that," she clarified with a sweet smile. "Don't you dare."

"But…"

"No buts." And before he could make another sound, she pulled her hand away and kissed him again. This time her kiss was more confident, more passionate, and her arm came up to wrap firmly around him possessively.

He leaned into her as best as he could and tangled his long fingers in her flaxen tresses. Why was she doing this? Wasn't she with Spencer? If she was, did she plan to go back to him? Or had she come to her senses about that idiot? If she had, surely she could find someone better than himself. He knew that she could. But God, he didn't want her to.

Juliet reluctantly broke their second kiss, and without even asking for permission, she lifted herself onto the bed with Carlton and leaned against his side. Then she snaked an arm around him and held him close. "Is this okay?" she finally whispered as her fingers trailed lightly up and down his bare arm.

He closed his eyes. "Of course," he finally managed. _Please don't go_…

"Good." She pulled his blanket tighter around him and rested her head against his arm. "I'm not going anywhere, Carlton. Ever."

He had never wanted to believe anything so much as he did that single sentence spoken by the woman he was afraid he had fallen in love with.

* * *

"Absolutely not."

It was the following afternoon, and Lassiter had slept through being transferred out of the intensive care and into a private room downstairs. Dr. Grace was impressed with Lassiter's progress and deemed his condition improved enough to move him into a private room. He still couldn't eat solid food and would probably remain hospitalized for another two weeks, at the very least. Lassiter had groused at that, but Juliet had been thrilled. To her, it was a light at the end of the tunnel, the end being his release and subsequent return to a normal life.

Chief Vick had shown up shortly after Lassiter's transfer, a gift basket in hand and a guilty look on her face. Since no one other than Juliet had been allowed to be with Lassiter while he was in the Intensive Care Unit, Vick hadn't shown up. But once she got word that he had been transferred, she had made the time to drive to the hospital and check on her head detective. She wasn't surprised to find Juliet at Lassiter's side, but what did surprise her was Juliet's declaration that Carlton would be staying with her once he was released from the hospital. Vick knew that Juliet and Lassiter had a unique bond; it wasn't unusual for partnerships between cops to be at the level of marriage. After all, partners spent at least twelve hours a day, if not more together. Not to mention countless weekends, holidays, and the occasional all-nighter at work. They fought and disagreed, but in the end, partnerships were nearly indestructible. Which was why she and Juliet were now toe-to-toe and Juliet was scowling.

"Chief, he's my partner. Dr. Grace said that he shouldn't be left alone when he's released, and if he can't find suitable help, he'll have to stay here for an extra week or more." And she knew for a fact that Lassiter would rather kiss a squirrel than be forced to stay in the hospital for any longer than was necessary to his survival. "He'll never admit to needing help, but I am going to help him."

"Do you have any idea how inappropriate this would look, O'Hara? And what about your boyfriend?"

"Honestly, I don't care how it might_ look_. And Shawn has no say in any of this." She wasn't quite ready to publicly deal with her breakup. Not yet. "You're missing the point, Chief. My best friend needs help, and since he has no family in the area that he can rely on, he has me. He will have me."

Frustrated, Vick shook her head. "We're not finished talking about this." Turning on her heel, she walked out of the room.

Juliet's shoulders slumped as the door closed behind Vick. This was going to be quite a fight if she intended on winning. And she _would_ win. She didn't care how it might make the department look or who might frown on it. All that mattered was the man lying in the bed a few feet away from her. The man who needed her, and the man she needed. Slowly she turned around and shuffled back to his bed.

"What happened?"

His sleepy voice startled her, but she smiled. "Hey…" She slid her hand into his. "Nothing happened." Her lips found his forehead in a reassuring gesture.

"Hmm…I know you better than that, O'Hara." But he didn't object to the kiss she pressed against his forehead.

"I know you do." She reluctantly pulled away, but she kept her hand in his. "I didn't want to say anything yet, but… things are over between me and Shawn."

Immediately Lassiter's cerulean eyes were wide open. "Did he hurt you?" he growled, immediately in his protective mode.

She smiled sadly. "No, Carlton. He actually made a lot of sense." Her fingers travelled up his arm in an absent manner. "And I'm okay with it."

He looked dubious. "You are?"

"Yes."

Lassiter continued to study her carefully. "But that's not all, is it?"

Damn him… "Are you sure you're not the one who's psychic?"

"Fairly sure. What is it?"

"Dr. Grace is going to be releasing you in a week or two, depending on how fast you recover. But she said that you'll need someone to stay with you for a while after you are released."

He watched her expectantly, patiently waiting for her to continue. But he had an idea of where she was going with this.

"I told the chief that I intend on staying with you."

That took him by surprise, even though it shouldn't have. He had no family in the area that would be able to stay with him while he recuperated at home. Of course his partner would swoop in with her giving and nurturing nature to volunteer to stay with him.

"Stop."

He blinked. "Stop what?"

"Stop thinking whatever it is that is making you frown so much." She laid her head on his shoulder, still marveling at the novel sensations. "In fact, I know what you're thinking."

"Do you?" he challenged, his hand coming up to play with a soft curl.

"You're wondering why I would volunteer to stay with you once you're released. And you're probably trying to figure out how to convince me it's not a good idea. Let me save you some time. When you are released, I will be coming home with you, or you will be coming to stay at my apartment. Actually, that will be the only choice you have in the matter. My place or yours." Her fingers sifted through his dark hair. "It will not be a burden or an annoyance on my part, so don't even worry about that. I want to do this for you."

He thought about that for a while. "So nothing I can say will change your mind?"

"No."

"Good."

* * *

The following morning, Juliet finally ventured out of the hospital at Lassiter's insistence. She didn't want to leave him, but she needed a shower and he admitted that he would like some things from his apartment. Once she knew that, she felt slightly better about leaving him for a little while. He assured her that nothing bad would happen; the hospital wouldn't blow up and he wouldn't get shot again. She had almost hit him for that one, but he had just laughed and shooed her toward the door.

"I'll probably sleep the entire time," he had insisted, even making a point to lay his head on his pillow and pull his blanket tighter around himself.

So she left the hospital. The first stop was the bank where Carlton had been shot a week ago. She felt a growing sense of unease as she paid the taxi driver and went to the parking lot, where her Bug was still parked. There was crime scene tape still up, adding to her discomfort.

"He's okay," she muttered to herself as she hurried over to her car and retrieved her keys from her pocket. "He's fine. He's at the hospital. Pull yourself together, O'Hara." By the time she got the car door open, her hand had stopped trembling. She slid into the driver's seat and shoved the key into the ignition. She started the car and quickly pulled out of the parking lot.

Next stop was her apartment. By the time she got there, she was much calmer and looking forward to a quick shower. She trotted up to the front doors and let herself in, then went upstairs. When she got to her apartment door, she quickly unlocked it. She expected the apartment to be musty and stale, so she was surprised when she was greeted by the scent of lemons and bleach. She looked around. Everything was clean and orderly, unlike the way she had left it. She wandered into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door. To her shock, it was fully stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as sandwich meats and juices. All of the things she liked. Her eyes welled up with tears. There was only one person who could have done it.

Closing the refrigerator door, she turned around and noticed a vase of fresh flowers with a note taped to the vase. Reaching out, she opened the note and read it with a soft smile.

_Gus and I cleaned up your apartment for you. The spare key you gave me is in your nightstand._

_Shawn_.

It was short and precise, so unlike Shawn. But the thought was his. After taking a moment to admire the flowers, she went into her bedroom and found the key, placing it somewhere safe. Then she grabbed her gym bag out of her closet and tossed it on her bed. But before she began packing it, she undressed and stepped into her bathroom for a quick shower. Once she was done, she found a pair of old, comfortable jeans and an equally comfortable t-shirt that she had once caught Carlton admiring when she wore it. After brushing her hair and pulling it up in a loose ponytail, she quickly packed the gym bag and locked up the apartment before leaving.

Fifteen minutes later, she arrived at Carlton's home. She had his key on her keyring; he had given it to her years ago, when she gave him hers. They had hoped that the keys would only be used in emergencies, and mostly they had. She let herself inside, and for a moment she simply stood there and let herself be enveloped by his essence. She had been in his home countless times, but somehow this time was different. Somehow it was new and amazing as she inhaled the remnants of his cologne and the scent that was uniquely him. Once she could finally move, she made her way to his bedroom, the one room she hadn't been in. To her surprise, it was warm and open, with a king size bed in the middle of the room. The colors were mostly gray and blue, entirely him. With little hesitation, she went into his closet and grabbed his overnight bag. Then she proceeded to fill it with the things he had asked for, including several books.

She was almost done in his bedroom when something caught her eye. On the nightstand by his bed, there was a single framed picture. Upon closer inspection, her heart swelled. It was a picture of the two of them, looking quite comfortable and at home with one another. She had no idea when it was taken or by whom (she suspected Buzz, as he was quite handy with a camera and very sneaky for someone who was almost seven feet tall) but she quickly decided it was her favorite picture of the two of them. It must have been Carlton's as well, for him to have it so close to his bed. With a smile, she turned around and slung the bag over her shoulder. Then she left his home, taking care to lock the front door behind herself.

* * *

When she walked back into Carlton's hospital room, she wasn't surprised to find him sleeping peacefully in his bed. She was quiet as she set the bags down by her chair and laid a gentle kiss on his head.

The kiss roused him. "Mm…"

"Hey, you… I didn't mean to wake you up."

He opened one cerulean eye. "Sure you didn't." His hand came up and absently scratched at the beard that had grown in. "I need a shave." He grimaced. "A shower and a haircut, too."

"I don't think so, cowboy," Sheila said from the door. Juliet and Lassiter turned and looked at her. "One of the orderlies can handle that for you."

"Not happening."

Sheila frowned. "Then I guess you're not getting a shave."

Juliet spoke up. "What if I do it?"

That took Lassiter by surprise, but Sheila thought for a moment. "I think that would be fine. I'll bring you what you need."

"Thanks." She waited for Sheila to leave the room before she turned back to her surprised partner. "I had to defuse the situation."

Lassiter stared at her for a moment before he finally laughed. "Good job."

Grinning, Juliet stepped closer to the bed and pressed the button that would raise the head of the bed. "Let me know if it hurts," she murmured as the motor whirred.

"It would be nice to sit up for a while." He watched her intently as the head of the bed was slowly raised.

They shared a smile, and a few minutes later Sheila returned with a large bowl of warm water, several towels, a can of shaving cream and a razor. "Be careful," she advised Juliet as she set the bowl of water down.

"I will." Taking the can of shaving cream, Juliet squirted a small amount onto her hands. Then she lathered it well before she applied it to her partner's cheeks. She liked the feel of his beard, but when he was clean shaven he looked almost ten years younger. And anytime he grew out a beard, she always got the feeling that he was hiding behind it. She didn't like that. She smoothed the cream over his skin, then dipped the razor into the warm water before she gently cupped the back of his head in her free hand.

Lassiter instinctively closed his eyes and leaned into her hand, trusting her completely. "Be careful," he murmured, echoing Sheila's words.

Juliet paused. "I'd never hurt you, Carlton. Ever." Then she brought the razor slowly over his skin.

Once she was finished, Lassiter was putty in her hands, and they both knew it. She pressed a soft kiss to his lips before she wiped away what was left of the shaving cream. Then she cleaned up the mess and washed her hands before returning to his bed.

His eyes were closed and his chest was moving steadily, leading Juliet to believe that he had fallen asleep. With a sweet smile, she pulled a warm comforter from her bag and unfolded it. Then she quickly pulled away the thin hospital blanket, replacing it with hers. She folded the hospital blanket and put it aside. Then she tucked her comforter around Carlton and adjusted the pillow behind his head. He actually looked very sweet when he was sleeping, a refreshing alternative to the scowl that normally resided on his handsome face.

Still smiling to herself, Juliet allowed her fingers to trail lightly over his cheek before she sat down in her chair. "Sleep well, Carlton." Leaning over, she dug around in her bag until she found what she was looking for: a well-worn and well-loved copy of Romeo and Juliet, one of her very favorite books. Normally she didn't have much time for reading with the hectic nature of her job. But every now and then, she made a little time to read a couple of chapters of one of her books. Recently she had begun rereading Romeo and Juliet, a book that she had first read in high school and had read countless times since then.

Opening the book, she flipped the pages until she found the spot where she had last left off. Then she snuggled into the chair, kicking off her shoes in the process and tucking her legs beneath herself as she settled in for a peaceful evening.

* * *

"Juliet!"

The word was loud; it shattered the quiet of the room and jerked Juliet out of a sound sleep. Immediately she leaned forward and grasped her partner's arm as he thrashed on the bed. "Carlton, calm down," she soothed as she realized that he was sleeping. It was not uncommon for the medication he was being given to cause nightmares. The only thing that concerned her was the risk of him reopening his wound if he continued to thrash about the way he was. So she stood up and quickly gathered him into her arms, shushing him softly. "It's okay, Carlton. Everything's okay. I'm here now."

Slowly his arms came up and wrapped themselves around her. His breathing was heavy as he pressed his face into her shoulder, silently seeking comfort from her which she happily gave. "Don't go," he finally managed hoarsely.

"I'm not going," she promised, her hand coming up to run through his damp hair. To prove her point, she pulled herself up onto the bed with him. He moved with her, giving her enough room on the narrow bed to curl into his side.

Once she was situated, he pressed himself closer to her, still shaking noticeably. They lay together for a while in silence. Her hand stroked his hair, and he clung to her ferociously. All of his life, he had avoided being dependent upon anyone for anything. But somehow, somewhere he had become dependent upon Juliet. And it scared him.

"I lost you," he finally whispered after what seemed like an eternity of silence.

"What? Carlton…"

"In my nightmare, I lost you."

"Oh…" She pulled him even closer. "It was just a dream."

"I know it was. But… I can't lose you." He swallowed hard, suddenly terrified. He was about to put himself out there in the worst possible way, but he had no choice. "If this is… if we're real, tell me. If we're not…please, let me go."

Her fingers paused in her hair as she tried to gather her thoughts. She didn't want to scare him, but she had to find a way to reassure him. "Carlton, we are very real," she finally replied. "And I'm not letting you go. Ever." To bring that point home, she reached down and gently raised his head. Then she kissed him tenderly, pouring all of her emotions and thoughts that she couldn't put into words into the kiss.

When they finally broke apart, he looked up at her with amazement. "I think I love you, Juliet."

A beautiful smile graced her weary features.

"Well, you're in luck, Detective. I think I love you, too."

The look on his face was one she had never seen, and she sighed comfortably as he snuggled into her and rested his head on her slender shoulder.

Long after he fell asleep in her arms, Juliet remained awake and awash in amazement and disbelief. He loved her. She loved him, and he loved her in return.

How could her life get any better than this?

To Be Continued...

A/N: I hope that Lassiter wasn't too out of character in this. And the shaving scene was inspired by a similar scene that takes place between Grissom and Sara in CSI. As I said earlier, this is not the last chapter, but I won't say the next one is, either. Damn plot bunny. Thanks for reading, everyone, and please review and let me know someone is out there and enjoying this!


	4. This Is Gonna Take All Night

And here we are, the final chapter of this little pet project that was only supposed to be two chapters! *eyeroll* LOL. It has become a bit of a personal milestone for me. Not much else to say here, except a big thank you to Loafer and Lawson for all their awesome encouragement (and occasional swift kicks to the butt). Also, thanks to everyone who has reviewed this little adventure: **Loafer, Lawson227, fantomfaire, Margaret, Ghee buttersnaps15, Meadowcreek, and the occasional anon reviewers and flamers.** I appreciate all of you. Hope everyone enjoys this chapter, and who knows? There just might be a sequel in the works... Enjoy!

**A BIG FAT M RATING FOR THIS CHAPTER! M as in mmmmmmmmmm, sexy detective fun time! Read on at your own risk!**

Disclaimer: Not mine!

PsychPsychPsychPsych

"Carlton?"

Lassiter turned around in his chair to see Juliet standing in the door. She was smiling and holding a bag tightly in her hands. He returned her smile with a warm one of his own. For the last two weeks, she had been a fixture in his room. She had praised him with every inch of improvement he made, scolded him whenever he gave the nurses a hard time, and at night she settled in beside him to help him sleep through the night. He would never be able to pay her back for all that she had done for him in the past month, or in the past seven years, for that matter.

Now he was finally being discharged from the hospital, and a small part of him was terrified that things would go back to the way they were before.

Setting the bag down, Juliet crossed the floor and stopped in front of his chair, drinking him in for a minute. He looked much better than he had two weeks ago. While he was recuperating, he had been limited to clear liquids, broths and Jell-O, and it had taken a toll on his body. Just over a week ago, he had been upgraded to normal food, and she was steadily bringing him all of his favorite foods to help him gain back the weight he had lost. Still smiling brightly, she bent over and lightly kissed his forehead. "Are you ready to leave?"

Her kiss was reassuring. "Damn right I am." Cautiously he slid his arm around her. Then he pulled her in for a soft, sweet kiss.

The kiss went on until Sheila cleared her throat at the door. Juliet broke the kiss, but she stayed in Carlton's embrace. "Are you ready to leave us, Carlton?"

"Yes."

"Juliet has filled out all the paperwork, and here's your chariot." She patted the wheelchair that she had pushed with her into the room.

Instantly Lassiter looked irritated. "I'm not leaving here in a damn wheelchair."

"Sorry, hon. Hospital policy." Sheila pushed the chair closer as Lassiter's scowl deepened.

"Absolutely not."

"Carlton." Juliet's normally sweet and soft voice had a hard edge, and Lassiter blinked in surprise. "You've been in here for over a month. Don't argue with Sheila. Once you're out of the hospital, you can walk to the car."

He looked like he wanted to protest further, but another sharp look from Juliet made him sigh in resignation. "Fine." Standing up with Juliet's help, he made his way over to the wheelchair and sat down. Then he petulantly crossed his arms over his chest.

Juliet had to smother a laugh at the sight of him. "Thank you," she managed, taking the handles of his wheelchair.

"You be good, cowboy," Sheila told him before she leaned down and kissed his cheek.

Lassiter promptly turned red and stuttered out, "I will."

Giving Sheila a smile, Juliet slung the bag over her shoulder and pushed her partner's chair out of the room, downstairs, and outside into the warm sunlight.

Once they were outside, Lassiter eagerly stood up and stretched his long legs. He was thrilled to be walking out of that hospital alive, but most importantly, he was happy to be walking out of there with Juliet at his side. He reached out and grasped her warm hand as they walked toward her Bug.

The ride back to his apartment was spent in a comfortable silence. Juliet drove, but Lassiter held onto her right hand, almost as though he was afraid that if he let go, she would disappear. It would take a lot of work, but she had to find a way to convince him that she wasn't going anywhere. Did he really think that she could, after fighting her feelings for him for so long? After almost losing him?

No, there was no way she could let him go now.

After making a quick stop to get his prescriptions filled, they finally arrived at his apartment. This had been a topic of heated discussion for a while. She wanted to take him home, where he could recover in familiar surroundings. He insisted on going to her apartment, since she was being so stubborn about not leaving him alone and he didn't want to put her out. Juliet eventually won out (what man in his right mind would really argue with her?) and packed a bag full of clothes and other things she needed for the week or two that she would be staying with him.

Juliet parked the Bug and got out, rushing around to Lassiter's side of the car. He was quiet as she helped him out of his seat, a big indicator to the pain he was currently experiencing. Once he was out of the car, she wrapped her arm around his waist and led him inside. He leaned heavily against her until they finally arrived at his front door. She had made a point to clean his home before he was released, and the sweet smell of scented air fresheners hit their noses. "Here we are," she murmured, closing the door behind them with her foot.

He reluctantly stepped away from her and yawned. "Guess I should sit down…" He started for the couch, but Juliet quickly grasped his arm again.

"Oh, no. You're going to your bed."

"But-"

"No buts, partner." Moving with him, she pulled him into his bedroom. Then she motioned to the bed, one blond eyebrow raised pointedly. "Into bed with you."

He sighed. "I thought I was the senior partner."

"I just let you think that." She gave him a gentle push toward his bed. "Go lay down."

"Fine, bossy." Kicking off his shoes, he pulled the sheets back and slowly lowered himself onto the bed. Then he stretched out his lanky form and let out a weary sigh.

Smiling, Juliet followed his path to the bed. Then she reached out and tucked his comforter and sheets around him. "Close your eyes and try to rest, okay?"

He nodded, yawning. "You are amazing."

"I'm not. I'm just crazy about you." And that was the honest truth. She pressed a soft kiss to his forehead. "Sleep."

Sighing contentedly, he rolled onto his side, his preferred sleeping position, and closed his eyes.

Juliet stayed with him until he was sleeping deeply. Then she kissed him again and slipped out of his bedroom.

* * *

"Juliet!"

The cry woke Juliet from a deep sleep. She had spent most of the afternoon cleaning his already tidy living room and kitchen. When she finally was tired enough to sleep, she stretched out on the couch and passed out. Carlton's cry was what had woken her, and she stumbled down the hall, still not fully awake.

When she reached his bedroom, Lassiter was sprawled out in the bed, moving restlessly. His sheets and comforter were twisted around his body, and sweat lathered his forehead. His brow was furrowed and his jaw was clenched as he grasped at the sheets beneath him.

"Juliet!"

Finally she moved to the bed and sat down beside his waist. "Carlton, everything is okay," she soothed, reaching out to touch his damp hair. "I'm here."

He leaned into her hand. "Juliet…"

"I'm right here." Gently untangling his blankets and sheets, she crawled into the bed with him. Then she pulled the sheets over the both of them and rolled onto her side. Immediately Carlton burrowed into her arms. Juliet slid her own arms around him and held him close. "Shh…" Her hand moved up and down his back slowly.

After a few minutes, Carlton raised his head and looked up at Juliet. "Sorry," he muttered as he attempted to pull away from her.

She frowned and held him tight, preventing his attempted escape. "Don't be. I love you, Carlton." Freeing a hand, she placed a fingertip under his chin. Then she tilted his head back and sought his lips in a sweet, tender kiss.

His eyes closed as his hand slid under her shirt. Her skin was soft and inviting as he ran his fingertips over it.

The kiss went on until Juliet reluctantly ended it. "Carlton…"

There it was. Rejection. Dismissal. God, he was such a fool. What on earth made him think that a woman like Juliet O'Hara could possibly love him?

Her hand remained under his shirt as she spoke softly. "I want you. So much. But… we can't."

He tried not to look hurt. "Right."

"You were just released from the hospital today. You need to be taking it easy." As she said that, she withdrew her hand and rested it lightly on the back of his neck. "The last thing I want is for you to wind up back there."

That took him by surprise. "Oh…"

"What did you think I meant?" Her fingertips lightly played with the hairs at the base of his neck.

"Nothing."

"Carlton."

Sighing, he mumbled, "I thought you didn't want me."

"What?" Juliet looked stunned and a little hurt. "Why would you think that, Carlton?"

"Look at me, O'Hara. I'm forty-three, I've already been divorced, I'm obsessed with my job and I'm no catch-"

"Carlton, stop it," she snapped. "You are my best friend, and I love you."

He looked genuinely confused. "_Why_?"

"Why do you love me?" she countered.

"You're beautiful, you're smart and you know how to use a gun. I respect you and I trust you completely." He sighed. "I never meant to fall in love with you. But I did, because you are so easy to love."

"So why is it so hard for you to believe that I feel the same way?" Her hand moved to gently cup his cheek. "Every reason you just gave about why you love me is also a reason that I love you. You are the best cop I have ever known, you're smart and passionate, and I know exactly where I stand with you." Her thumb ran slowly along his lower lip. "I know I never should have let myself fall in love with you, but I couldn't stop myself." Her lips curved up in a sweet smile. "But I am so happy that it did happen, Carlton."

"Me, too…" A soft yawn escaped him before he could stop it, and he lit up when Juliet laughed.

"You're tired." Moving her hand back to the small of his back, she gently pulled him closer to herself. "Close your eyes and sleep."

He allowed himself to be drawn closer to her as he closed his eyes. "You're staying, aren't you?"

"Of course I am. So sleep." She gently moved her thumb over his eyes to close them.

Reassured by her words and touch, he settled in closer to her, allowing her to slide her arm under his neck. Then he sighed, allowing sleep to claim him.

Juliet watched him long after he had fallen asleep. His long eyelashes fluttered against his skin, and his breathing was soft and steady. How could he possibly still have any doubts about her feelings for him, especially after all that they had gone through together?

_I'll just have to show him_…

* * *

Nearly a month later, Juliet and Lassiter had fallen into a comfortable pattern. A week after he had been released from the hospital, she had reluctantly returned to work at Vick's insistence. She hated leaving Carlton alone for any amount of time, but she didn't have much of a choice. The cases were piling up and Vick needed her. So she reluctantly returned to work, but only after making it very clear to Vick that she would leave periodically to check on her partner. They had decided not to tell anyone about their relationship for a while, until they were both certain and comfortable about where it was going. Juliet would go to work during the day, and at night she would crawl into bed with Carlton and just hold him, because as nice as her temporary partner was, he wasn't Carlton. He never would be. Therefore, Juliet was not happy about it, no matter how nice he was or how polite she tried to be to him.

One night, after a particularly grueling case, Juliet dragged herself to Carlton's home and let herself inside. All she wanted to do was curl up with him in his bed and never come out again. The case, which had involved a woman killing the man she supposedly loved to keep him from leaving her, had taken a severe toll on Juliet. She pulled her jacket and gun holster off. Then she kicked her shoes aside. The living room was dark, and she could hear Carlton moving around in the kitchen. "Carlton?"

He poked his head out of the kitchen. "Hey. How was your day?"

She padded into the kitchen. "Terrible." Coming up behind him, she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her cheek against his back. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too." He turned around and gathered her into his arms. Then he kissed her softly. "I made dinner."

"I see that." She peered around him, at the stove. "Stir-fry?"

"Yeah. I know how much you like it."

Her heart began beating just a little faster as his large hand wandered up her back. "I do…"

"I know you do. You also like this." His lips brushed tentatively against hers, applying just the smallest amount of pressure.

Juliet moaned softly as she tangled her fingers in his dark hair. He tasted delicious, a mixture of coffee and the expensive chocolate she hid from everyone else but shared with him. The combination was absolutely intoxicating.

He broke the kiss and whispered into her ear, "I went in for my checkup today."

Her eyes fluttered shut as he nipped playfully at her ear. "Oh?"

"Mm-hmm. And she cleared me."

"She did?" Her arms went around his neck.

"Yes." He kissed her again, this time backing her against the kitchen counter as he tasted her.

The kiss went on and on, until Juliet finally broke it. "What about the stir-fry?"

The heavy-lidded look and her swollen lips nearly sent him over the edge. "The hell with the stir-fry." He grabbed her again, pulling her firmly against himself as their lips met in a bruising kiss. Her kiss made him breathless, and he was certain that he could never love another woman now that he had fallen for her. She was everything in the world to him, and tonight he was determined to prove that to her, in every way that he knew how.

"But…" Another kiss made her lose her train of thought, something she wasn't used to. What was he doing to her? Apparently something that she was enjoying, if her hands were any indication. They had moved down his back and into the waist of the sweat pants he was wearing.

He had the presence of mind to shut off the stove before he leaned over and locked one arm behind her legs. Then he lifted her against him with no effort at all.

"Carlton! What about…"

"I told you, I'm clear." He grinned at her as he carried her into what he was quickly beginning to see as their bedroom. Depositing her gently onto the mattress, he reached out and slowly unbuttoned the first button on her shirt. Then he kissed her again as he sat on the bed with her. He was going to make sure that this would take all night.

A small voice at the back of her mind argued that he wasn't up for this, but another louder, much more insistent voice screamed that he was only in a pair of sweats and the wound in his stomach, while still pink and tender, _was_ healed. His doctor had cleared him, and he would probably be returning to work next week. She could finally say goodbye to her temporary partner, but really he wasn't much more than a warm body to her. He wasn't Carlton, therefore he wasn't her partner. At least, that was the way that she saw it. Carlton would have probably seen it the same way if she had been the one who couldn't work and he had to have a temporary partner. No, he probably would have refused a temporary partner altogether-

His kiss stopped her thoughts right there, and she allowed him to guide her back against the pillows. Then she watched with bated breath as he slowly unbuttoned the rest of her shirt, exposing her creamy skin to his greedy eyes. Goosebumps rose on her skin as he ran his index finger lightly up her abdomen.

"I am a stupid man," he muttered, breaking her concentration.

"What…?"

"You are absolutely stunning, and I never made a move." He replaced his fingers with his mouth, eliciting a quiet gasp from her lips.

Juliet squirmed restlessly and closed her eyes. "You're not stupid," she finally managed. "I'm the stupid one. I started a relationship…knowing that I was crazy about you."

"Oh?" His long fingers slowly tugged at her skirt.

"Mm…yeah."

Grinning, he finally removed her skirt and tossed it aside. She was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen in his life.

Juliet suddenly sat up and ran her fingers over the coarse hair on Carlton's chest. For some reason, she felt nervous and somewhat shy. But why? This was Carlton. They had known each other for over seven years. He knew everything about her, and she knew everything about him. In fact, the only thing they didn't really know was this, and even then she remembered seeing a lot of him two years ago, when they were forced to strip in a parking lot to be decontaminated. It was completely different now, of course. Now they were in his bed, hands exploring skin, lips on lips…

Her thoughts were once more cast aside when Carlton gently pushed her back against the pillows and covered her body with his lean, toned one. She was suddenly very aware that the only things separating them were her underwear and his boxers. Her heart began beating even faster, until she was certain that it was going to leap out of her chest.

Lassiter's own heart was beating furiously as he slid one hand behind her and expertly unfastened her bra. Then he pulled the flimsy material away, exposing her to him. Immediately his mouth went dry. Even when she tried to downplay her looks at work, he had always seen her as beautiful, even when he knew that he shouldn't have. How could any red-blooded man not think that she was a drop dead knockout? And now she was all his, if he could keep from screwing it up. He would have to, because he couldn't lose her. One hand came up and gently cupped a firm breast.

Juliet gasped, her eyelids fluttering shut. "Oh…"

He grinned at her encouraging response. After lavishing plenty of attention there, he began to move lower, to the soft cotton that shielded her most intimate parts from his prying eyes. He hooked a thumb beneath the material and gave it a gentle tug. It easily slid free, and he tossed the offending material to the floor before returning his full attention to the beautiful and now naked woman before him. God, she was absolutely perfect.

Juliet flushed lightly under his piercing scrutiny. "I think you're a little…overdressed, Detective."

He laughed, and the sound delighted Juliet. He laughed far too little.

"I suppose you're right."

He quickly shed his boxers, and Juliet's laugh caught in her throat. No wonder he was such a damn arrogant man. He certainly had every right to be.

"Now, where were we?" He lowered himself to her and brushed a thumb lightly against a firm nipple. "Here…?"

"Mm…" She shifted her hips.

He took that as a yes. "What about this?" His hand moved from her breast to travel along the inside of her thigh.

His hand lit a fire inside of her, and suddenly she couldn't breathe. Though she wasn't often the kind of woman to take charge in the bedroom, she couldn't resist turning a very startled Lassiter onto his back and straddling his hips. It was the perfect position to feel his entire delicious length against her, and it made her desperate for more. He looked up at her with those beautiful blue eyes, alight with passion and need. Whispering his name softly, she lowered her head and met his lips in a brief kiss that sent shivers over her.

"Juliet…" He settled his hands on her hips, gripping them tightly.

She nodded, understanding his unspoken words. He needed this as much as she did, if his grip was any indication. Her hands settled on his shoulders as she slowly lowered herself onto him. They both sighed at the connection. It was pure perfection, as though they were a puzzle and this was the missing piece they had been searching for. She began to move on him, settling quickly into a delicious rhythm.

"Oh, sweet…" His words were quickly cut off by her sweet lips, and his hands moved up and down her back, silently encouraging her.

This was exactly what she had been missing, she decided as her toes curled.

Without breaking the contact, he suddenly flipped her onto her back and buried his face in the vulnerable hollow of her neck. His hand slid beneath her hip, lifting her to him. He would never be able to get enough of this woman.

Time ceased to exist as they moved together. They existed solely for one another as they kiss, touched and tasted each other. When Juliet finally let go and allowed her release to overwhelm her, Carlton took that as a challenge and teased her all over again, until she was once more standing on the precipice. Then he slowly eased her back from the edge and repeated the process, until out of frustration, she bit down on his shoulder, leaving a mark on his skin. He just smiled as sweat beaded on his forehead. She was absolutely perfect.

Juliet clung to Carlton as he moved against her. She loved the feel of his chest pressed against her, of touching him and being touched by him. He quickly brought her back to the edge, then gladly pushed her over again. She cried out, dragging her nails over his back as he followed her.

As she came back to her senses, she realized that Carlton was lying with his head on her chest. Smiling, she kissed his dark hair and gently rubbed his shoulder. "Carlton…"

He grunted softly, nuzzling her soft skin. Had he really just made love to Juliet? The resounding _yes_ that filled his head was pleasant.

"You're amazing." Her fingers lightly sifted through his damp hair. He had been more than worth the wait.

"I would have to disagree with you, O'Hara. You're the amazing one."

She laughed. "Carlton, we just had mind-blowing sex. Use my first name."

"Juliet…" He slowly eased himself off of her and rolled onto his side. Then he propped his head up and smiled at her. Her hair was messy and she was glowing, and he had done that to her. He felt a surge of pride and love wash over him. "You are beautiful."

She turned onto her side, facing him. "And you are amazing." Her slender hand came up and gently pushed his hair back. "I love you, Carlton."

He grasped her hand and brought it to his lips. Then he kissed her fingertips softly. "I love you, too, Juliet." And that wasn't an easy thing for him to say. He had let a very small amount of women into his well-protected heart, but somehow Juliet had found her way in without any help from him. It seemed that he had just looked one day, and there she was. And unlike the previous women who had been there, she would never leave.

She smiled warmly and scooted closer to him, until she was pressed up against his warm chest.

Smiling, Lassiter rolled onto his back, pulling Juliet with him. Then he waited for her to get comfortable. She was so warm and perfect in his arms, like a part of him that had been missing from him for years. "Juliet?" His fingers absently played with a thick strand of her hair.

"Hmm?" She yawned and kissed his neck.

"I…" His throat was suddenly dry. Why couldn't he get this out? It made more sense than any decision he had ever made before, except maybe his decision to go into the academy.

"Carlton?" She raised her head so that she could see his crystal clear blue eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing." He wasn't delusional. Their relationship wasn't perfect, but it was by far the best relationship he had ever been in. He could see himself spending the rest of his life making her happy, and he wanted to secure that future for good.

"Then what is it?" Her thumb moved absently over his jaw.

"You are my partner." He briefly lost his train of thought when she draped a well-defined leg over his. "You're my partner, and my best friend. I don't know where I'd be…without you. And…I don't want to know."

"You don't have to. I'm not going anywhere, Carlton."

"I know. But..." He gently brushed her hair back behind her ear.

She watched him with curiosity. "But what?"

This was it. Now or never. "I want… Would you marry me, Juliet?"

Her blue-green eyes widened. They had been sharing his apartment for a month, and he was already thinking about marriage? But why wasn't she surprised? He was the most elusive kind of man, the man who wanted to be married, raise children, and live out the traditional happily-ever-after. And at one time, she would have run screaming from a man who even suggested they move in together. She wasn't afraid of commitment, but she was afraid of being tied down to the wrong man. Carlton wasn't the wrong man. In fact, despite his gruff exterior and strange affection for guns and Clint Eastwood movies (okay, maybe the latter wasn't that strange) he was absolutely perfect for her. Or rather, perfectly imperfect. She scooted closer to him and kissed his lips, relishing his strong, protective embrace. And when they ended the kiss, she had absolutely no doubts about what she wanted, for now and for the rest of her life. She wanted the man holding her, who was quick to draw his gun and even quicker to protect her. "Yes."

Surprise and disbelief was clear on his face. "Yes?"

"Yes."

The shock fell away after a few moments, and Juliet was certain that he had never looked as happy as he did in that moment. She wanted to keep him that happy for as long as she possibly could. Things wouldn't always be perfect or easy, but she did love him. And as long as he could make her feel like this, they would be able to face anything. Together.

She laughed when he rolled them over so that she was beneath him and he was suspended over her. "I love you, Carlton."

"Say it again," he challenged as he settled between her legs.

"I love you." Her arms looped around his neck. "And I want to marry you."

"Good. Because nothing on this earth is going to keep me from marrying you." He kissed her shoulder and made a path with his lips down to the valley between her breasts.

"How long have you been thinking about this?" she wondered, but that thought was quickly washed away by the trail of fire his mouth was making along her skin.

"Since the day I met you."

"Liar."

He grinned. "Name calling isn't very nice, Detective."

"Neither is lying," she shot back.

His hand snuck between her legs and danced playfully where he knew it would drive her crazy. "I've been thinking about it for a long time. Almost as long as I've loved you. Now if you don't mind, I want to make love to my fiancé."

Fiancé. That word bounced around in her mind for a moment before the man she loved began exploring her body once more. Her world was absolutely perfect, at least for the moment, and nothing else in the world mattered except for him. Carlton Lassiter.

The man that she loved.

The End...for now.

A/N: Once again, thank you for reading, everyone. I just might have a sequel for this up my sleeve, so let me know what ya'll think about that! Please review with your thoughts and questions, and happy reading!


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